There is a desire to make disposable absorbent articles look more like underwear. There are several factors that can affect whether an absorbent article is perceived as underwear-like. These factors include, but are not limited to, the noticeability of seams, the existence of graphics on a larger percentage of the viewable outer surfaces of the absorbent article, and graphics flowing from or over two or more absorbent article components.
There are, however, many obstacles to designing and executing an absorbent article that is underwear-like. One reason is that as new disposable absorbent article technologies are developed, they are incorporated as components. For example, seams are created to add stretchable elastomeric side panels or ears to the chassis and front or back regions of the absorbent article. Further, because of the manner in which absorbent article components are incorporated, even the viewable outer surfaces of the article have seams. Thus, it is challenging to place graphics on these individual components and to line them up such that the seams are not emphasized by process variations. Further, depending on the type of article construction, it is challenging to maintain the desired levels of breathability when adding graphics to each of the components having outer viewable surfaces. For these and other reasons, it is challenging to create an absorbent article that comprises mainstream technologies and also comprises graphics on multiple absorbent article components, such that the graphics flow from absorbent article component to component in a manner that deemphasizes seams and creates a holistic underwear-like appearance.
It is a desire of the present invention to provide absorbent articles that look like underwear, while, at the same time, incorporating absorbent article components that offer the benefits and functionality of the latest technologies (e.g., high stretch components integrated with low/no stretch components, highly breathable components, etc.). More specifically, it is a desire of the present invention to provide absorbent articles comprising graphics spanning the viewable absorbent article components, including absorbent articles comprising stretchable and breathable components. Further, it is a desire of the present invention to provide absorbent articles that have a Seam Noticeability Rating of less than about 7,